Arranged
by Prisoner of Words
Summary: You can't force someone to love another person, right? (Full summary in first chapter.)
1. Meet the Characters!

_**Summary: Ellie Herondale, Daughter of Jace and Clary, has had a good life. **_

_**Loving parents, likeable older brothers, cute nieces and newphews, great friends, awesome aunts and uncles and all round brilliant and loving family memebers. The one thing she still hasn't got is Maxwell Lewis-Lightwood as he boyfriend. Ellie, Corie and Max have just finished their training and are returning to the New York Institute, Corie has convinced Ellie to tell Max about her feelings as Corie secretly knows Max feels the same, when Jace bursts his daughter's bubble big time. **_

_**She is to be married to Matthew Branwell, the last in the bloodline, to help keep the name alive. She has never met this man, but feels duty bound to do as the Clave asks. Only problem is Max might have more to say, or better yet, some objections when it comes to the "I do's."**_

_**The Herondale's:**_

_**Michael Stephen Herondale: Jace and Clary's eldest son at the age of Twenty-three. He has always been a bit absentminded and dim-witted but means well. He has Clary's red hair and Jace's golden eyes. He married Lucinda Blackwell and has three year old twin children with her, a boy and a girl named Imogen and Marcus. **_

_**Jacob Lucian Herondale: Jace and Clary's middleborn child at the age of Twenty-one. He has never been one for fighting or running around killing demons, he much prefers reading a good book. He has Jace's blonde hair and Clary's green eyes. He recently married Sophia Lovelace and they are expecting their first child.**_

_**Eloise Celine Herondale: Jace and Clary's youngest child and only daughter at the age of eighteen she has just reached adulthood in the eyes of shadowhunters. She is like Jace in everyway possible, much to her mother's dismay. Her Parabatai is Cordelia Blackthorn and she is best friends with Maxwell Lightwood (who also happens to be her biggest crush.) She has strawberry blonde hair and strangely, Blue eyes. (Like Will and Cecily.)**_

_**The Lewis-Lightwood's:**_

_**Maryse Isabelle Lightwood: Is the Twenty-two year old daughter of Alec Lightwood from a one nightstand with a mundane girl during his break up with Magnus. She has black hair and blue eyes like her father and is very skilled with a bow. She has her eyes set on Arthur Blackthorn, though he doesn't seem to notice her very much.**_

_**Charles Robert Lewis-Lightwood: Isabelle and Simon's eldest son at the age of twenty years old, he is an excellent shadowhunter and is always competing against his younger brother, Maxwell. He is named after his mundane Grandfather, Charles Lewis (Don't kill me I don't know Simon's dad's name!.) He has brown hair and charcoal coloured eyes. **_

_**Maxwell Alexander Lewis-Lightwood: Isabelle and Simon's youngest son and child at the age of eighteen. He is a lot like his mother and will follow Eloise Herondale to the ends of the earth if he has to. What he hasn't done is tell her this though he has told his brother and friend Cordelia. He has black hair and brown eyes.**_

_**The Blackthorn's:**_

_**Arthur John Blackthorn: The eldest child of Julian and Emma Blackthorn at the age of twenty-two. He is a quiet soul who likes to keep to himself. The only person he will talk to without being spoken to first is Maryse Lightwood. He has brown hair and green-blue eyes.**_

_**Cordelia Tatiana Blackthorn: The middle child of Julian and Emma Blackthorn at the age of eighteen, her parabatai is Eloise Herondale. She is dating Maxwell's older brother, has brown hair and green-blue eyes.**_

_**Jemima Helen Blackthorn: The youngest child of Julian and Emma Blackthorn at the age of fifteen. She is usually kept out of battles due to her older siblings and parents wanting to protect has brown hair and blue-green eyes.**_

_**The Greymark's:**_

_**Adele Amatis Greymark: The twenty-five year old daughter of Luke and Jocelyn Greymark. She is the half sister of Clary Herondale, aunt to Michael, Jacob and Eloise. She has red hair and blue eyes. She also inherited the werewolf gene and therefore is not a shadowhunter.**_

_**Henry Granville Greymark: The fifteen year old son of Luke and Jocelyn Greymark. His parents had him when they were well on in their years but that hasn't stopped him and he isn't ashamed of his parents age. Unlike his sister He did not get the wolf gene and is a shadowhunter. He has brown hair and green eyes.**_

_**The Branwell's: **_

_**Matthew Jonas Branwell: Aged Twenty-five, Blonde hair and brown eyes. His parents died when he was twelve, he then went to live with his aunt and uncle, but they had no children of their own. The Clave is all about preserving bloodlines so when Matthew states at a Clave meeting he will be the last Branwell, the Clave step in and decide to give him a wife, but he isn't comfortable marrying someone he doesn't love.**_


	2. Of Parties, Meetings and Letters

_~Magnus' apartment, New York.~_

The living room was crowded with people who come to celebrate the graduation of Eloise Herondale, Maxwell Lewis-Lightwood and Cordelia Blackthorn, who had all just come home from Idris after completing their Shadowhunter training. Magnus had kindly agreed to let their parents use his apartment for a party. A party to which two of the three had to show up for.

Cordelia stood in the corner with her boyfriend, Charlie Lewis-Lightwood, talking quietly. The older boy seemed to becoming more anxious as time passed. He glanced up at his mother, Isabelle Lightwood was still a forbidable woman despite her age now and Charlie did not wish to anger his mother, she only got worse once she'd been drinking.

"Corie, where is Max and Ellie?."

"I told you Chaz, Maxie said something about a rouge vamp and they left. Took your Dad's demon bike and poof, off they went." The girl grinned up at him. Charlie could smell the alcohol on her breath, it was already starting to get to her. He fought back a roll of his eyes, His Uncle Alec was always forbidding him or Max to take a drink from Magnus, as the Warlock has stronger tastes than most. Corie had clearly forgotten that.

"Charlie!" someone hissed and he turned to see his older cousin, Maryse, the result of a one nightstand His Uncle had when he wasn't with Magnus. "Where is your idiot brother and Strawberry shortcake?" She glared at him and he had to fight not to shrink away from her cold blue eyes.

"Yes Charles, I was beginning to wonder that myself." Said another voice to his left, He shot round and saw his mother tapping her foot, his Aunt Clary and Uncle Jace behind her, with similar expressions on their faces.

"Well…"Charlie said.

_New York Institute~ _

"You know Magnus' party will be well underway right?" said a dark haired boy from his position on the four posterbed. He was sprawled on his back, clearly dressed for the party, with black jeans (his best at his mother's insistence, a red hoodie under a leather jacket and a white t-shirt. His Lightwood family ring flashed on his hand as he lifted a bottle of amber liquid to his lips. A girl stood up and turned towards him, then leaned over and plucked the bottle from him with a grin.

"I can't believe you broke into my dad's liquor cabinet. He'll kill you." She grinned setting the bottle down and picking up a pair of hair curlers. The boy sat up suddenly, causing the room to shake and spin a little.

"And I can believe you've not had any of it. I'm meant to be driving us to Magnus' remember and I'm the one doing the drinking?"

"Yeah, your not driving us Max."

"Why not Ellie?"

The strawberry blonde girl, Ellie, turned her blue eyes on Max and grinned "Your half-cut already Maxie, I'll drive us."

"In that dress?"

Ellie looked down at her blue dress, printed with black lace flowers and smiled "Of Course Maxwell." She turned to the mirror, fluffed her hair up once, then put some lip gloss on and smacked her lips together. Max watched her with a slightly dazed look, people could say what they wanted about Eloise Celine Herondale being as fierce as her mother and badass as her father, deep down she was still a girl. _A very, seriously pretty girl. _Max thought and shook himself quickly before his friend could notice his staring. "Are you done yet? Our parents will be freaking out."

"Two ticks." She lifted the bottle to her lips and took one gulp, two gulps, three gulps and then set it back down with a grimace. "Now I'm ready." She grinned. Max led the way out of her room, telling a joke to make her laugh as she shut the door behind herself.

Once outside the institute, they had a brief argument again over who was driving, eventually Max somehow won. Ellie was pretty sure it was down to him talking over her and pleading. She clung tightly to his waist as he started down the driveway and turned towards Magnus' house, praying they would live through the journey there. She managed to dig out her phone and press it to her ear, calling ahead to let everyone know the last two guests were arriving.

"Ellie!" Corie cried into the phone leaning against the wall, she giggled "No I am not drunk already you little biatch! When is your ass getting here?"

Charlie watched Corie from his seat beside his cousin, Isabelle and Ellie's two brothers, Michael and Jacob. He wasn't paying attention to what they were talking about , probably Michael's twins, Jacob's first unborn child and Maryse's lack of children. Charlie tried to tune into what Corie was saying but it was drowned out by the music, though surprisingly, they heard the doorbell go.

It was his Uncle Alec who answered it with a sigh of "Finally made it then." And stepped back to let Max and Ellie inside. Corie gave a squeal and jumped at the two of them and he fought to roll his eyes. Anyone would think she hadn't seen them in ages when infact she'd seen them this afternoon. Sometimes he hated drunk people. Especially if he wasn't one of them. He watched Ellie's parent go over with his mother and begin to question their whereabouts.

"Where have you been?" Isabelle hissed, grabbing Max by the arm and glaring at the two.

"A rouge vamp-"

"You don't smell like you've been hunting, you smell like you've been drinking." Jace butted in. Ellie rolled her eyes.

"Daddy, we're adults and therefore can drink ourselves into a coma if we wished." She said.

"And besides it's not like Magnus' will let us leave here sober anyway. _Any _of us might I add." Max said. "We weren't that late. Would've been much later if I hadn't used Dad's bike."

"You _drove_ here?!"Isabelle all but screeched.

"Izzy, not now." Alec muttered as people whipped their heads round towards them. "Go on you two…don't drink a lot more Kay?"

The two teens mumbled something like a yes and headed towards their brother's, Corie trailing behind them happily. Ellie greeted her brothers with a hug and asked where their wives were. Michael's was looking after his sick twins and couldn't make it, while Jacob's was off visiting family in London. Max sat beside his brother and gave him a grin.

Magnus came over a short while later "I managed to calm your mother down, but don't tell her I'm giving you guys these, these are my strongest drinks. Do _not _let Cordelia have any of them she's had enough." He grinned as the girl, slumped against Charlie, gave a sound of protest.

Max grinned over at Ellie, who was nestled between her brothers and said. "To a night we will never forget."

"You got that from the Hangover idiot." But she lifted her drink anyway.

_~Council meeting, Idris~_

"Matthew Branwell is the last of his bloodline, last year we gave him time to find a wife. He did not. He has no interest of carrying on the bloodline and as the Leaders of the Clave it is in our interest to keep every Shadowhunter name alive and growing."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Consul?"

"We _give_ him a wife."

"You have a woman in mind?"

"Oh yes, I have spent weeks searching for the right candidate and have finally found her. I have sent a letter to her parents informing them of this decision."

It was the small hours of the morning and the party had pretty much finished, only the family remained and even they were beginning to go home. Ellie's parents had left two hours ago, taking Michael, who was far too drunk to go home to his wife and twins, with them. Jacob had left an hour after she had arrived, apologizing, saying he had to go to London and would see her again in two weeks.

Max and Ellie had their feet up on the window ledge gazing out of the city, a fish bowl filled with an acid green drink with two long straws between them. Both had that glass eye look of too much to drink. Ellie's head was on Max's shoulder. Her makeup was beginning to smudge.

"Max." said a voice and he lifted his head and blinked a few times. There stood Simon Lewis, his father, supporting his mother, who had – like her brother and Ellie's father- had one too many of Magnus' cocktails. His father didn't look a day older than seventeen. Creepy, he thought.

"I'm taking your Mom home, she's done for the night, Charlie took Cordelia home with Arthur and their parents. I think he's staying. Maryse is in her room. Don't drink too much more ok? Let Magnus know if your staying here too."

" 'Kay see you tomorrow Dad." Max mumbled, jesus even he could hear the slur to his voice. Ellie giggled. The Lifted her head.

"I'm drunk Maxie." This caused him to laugh uncontrollably, she pouted at him. She looked adorable when she pouted. Max's alcohol addled brain was telling him that if he just leaned forward just a little then he could kiss her. She might smack him in the mouth, but it would be worth it. He cleared his throat and stood up, stumbling slightly.

"Bed time I think." He said causing Ellie to giggle. She was more of a Lightweight than he was and still was able to drink more than him. Ellie reached up for his hands to help her up and together, they staggered to the spare room at the end of the hall. It wasn't the first time they'd shared a bed, but Max felt his heart beat faster at the thought.

He turned his back while Ellie shrugged off her dress, changed into a pair of his old shorts and tshirt that she'd stolen and kept here after numerous sleepovers at Magnus's, and collapsed into the bed. Max fell face first onto the mattress and pulled himself up to the top. He grinned crookedly at Ellie, who looked half asleep already. "Wanna spoon?" She didn't answer only snuggled closer to his body and both willed the other not to hear their fast beating hearts.

Jace had his head in his hands at breakfast the next morning, rubbing his eyes with a groan. Michael sat slumped in his chair, pale face and ill looking. He shoved his plate away from him when it was set before him by Clary, covered his mouth and rushed out of the room. Clary winced as she heard him retch in the hallway. She sat beside Jace, giving him a glass of water, while opening the letters that had arrived from Idris this morning. One was from her mother and Luke, who had relocated their after the brith of their son, The second was from Maryse and Robert, both letters were apologizing for not being able to make the party last night, promising to come over and see the children soon. Clary smiled and was about to tell Jace when she saw the last letter was from the Clave. She opened it quickly, reading as fast as she could, when she reached the end, she was white as the paper she held.

"Clary?" Jace croaked, "what's wrong?"

"The Clave. They've written saying that Matthew Branwell still hasn't found a wife."

Jace raised an eyebrow, he knew the boy, abit too airheaded for him "And? What's that got to do with us?"

"They, The Clave have stepped in and found him a wife."

"By the angel, its not you is it?!" Jace cried.

"No."

"Then why else would they write and tell us?"

"Because….they've picked Eloise to be his wife." Clary said and she watched Jace's mouth drop.

"Good Luck telling her that one." Michael, who had come back into the room seconds before hand. "I can imagine how that one will go down."


End file.
